It has been rumored for a while that Google was getting into the mobile carrier business, and now we know that it is true. Google announced on April 22nd that they would be launching Project Fi, their take on the wireless experience.

The network is set up to use a combination of other existing cellular networks. Google’s goal is to make an all-encompassing network that will establish a fluid transition between Wi-Fi, and cell towers that are found to have the best signal. They are partnered with Sprint and T-Mobile for the cell service portion.

While the network coverage is pretty decent with those plans,  the real strength for Google is their price point. The base cost is being advertised at just $20/month, and $10 per gigabit of data – which you only pay for what you use. When you sign up you tell them the amount you think you need: say six gigs, and you pay $80 a month. If you only use 3.4 gigs you get $24 back. It is very simple and straight forward. You also get free tethering and the same rate internationally. The biggest expense is buying a phone, right now the only phone that works is the Nexus 6, which will cost you $649. Additionally, users can conveniently manage their expenses and usage through their personalized pay stub, ensuring transparency and control over their spending.

They are only letting people in by invite currently, but you can request to participate on their site. They also have all the info about the service there and some comparison tools. I hope that this will have a similar affect on the cell providers as Fiber is having on the cable companies. If it works well it seems like a very promising service.